This invention relates to dollies for transporting heavy objects and more particularly it relates to a self-propelled dolly adapted for one-person operation for lifting and transporting heavy loads.
In various commercial and industrial applications there is a need for a work vehicle which is especially adapted for operation by a single person to lift, transport and deposit heavy objects of various shapes, forms and weights. A prime example is the landscaping industry for both residential and commercial properties where the job may entail removal or rearrangement of existing landscape features and/or installation of new landscape features. Such work, for example, may include transporting heavy logs, large rocks, gravel and other such objects. For the landscape company, large or small, such tasks could be performed more efficiently and with greater safety for personnel by having a work vehicle which requires only one person to perform such tasks. Such a vehicle must be adapted to operate in a loading and unloading mode for lifting and depositing a wide variety of objects for loading and unloading the vehicle. Further, such work vehicle must be adapted to operate in a transport mode for moving a load of objects from one location to another. For both modes of operation, the work vehicle must be of such size and shape so that it can move forward or backward through narrow passageways. It must also be able to traverse rough, uneven and steep terrain without undue risk of tipping over or losing its load. Additionally, such vehicles should have stair climbing ability in a loaded condition. Further, the vehicle should provide power lifting and depositing of objects and transporting such objects at such speeds that would be as fast or faster than can be done by manual lifting and moving of such objects. It is believed that the work vehicle which would meet these performance characteristics is not available or known in the present state of the art.
An object of this invention is to provide a work vehicle which can perform tasks such as described above under the operation of a single person. Another object is to overcome other disadvantages of the prior art.
In accordance with this invention, a work vehicle in the form of a dolly is self-propelled and provided with a power lift for loading and unloading heavy objects for transport by the dolly under the control of a single person. More particularly, the dolly is provided with a pair of traction wheels which are driven by a power train including an engine and transmission. The dolly is also provided with a caster wheel which shares the load with the traction wheels and facilitates manual steering of the vehicle by the operator. The traction wheels are located under the front end of the load bed and the steering handle for manual steering is located at the rear end with the caster wheel located at an intermediate position. Further, the dolly comprises a load bed supported on the dolly frame in an inclined position with the bed sloped downwardly from the rear end to front end. The power lift of the dolly is located at the front of the vehicle and comprises a vertical mast, suitably adjustable in height, with a boom and power winch mounted on the mast. The boom is angularly adjustable relative to the longitudinal axis of the mast and can be manually swung through a one hundred eighty degree angle about the axis of the mast and rearwardly of the mast.
A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the detailed description that follows taken with the accompanying drawings.